Lantern-holder.



No. 636,424. Patented Nv. 7, |899, .-l. c. CALHOUN.

LANTERN HOLDER fApplication filed June 7, 1899; N0 MOdeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet l l l l A A l R Il l lily. 2

I llll Illl Ill

Nn. 636,424.V Patented Nav. 7, |899.

J. c. CALHOUN. f

. LANTERN vHOLDER lApplication. led. June 7, 1899.\ N o M o d e I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l PATENT -JAMES c. CALHOUN, on sAssAFRAs, MARYLAND.

LANTERN- HOLDER.

sPEcIFIcATIoN forming part Appiication nettime 7, i899.

To all whom t mai/ concerna- Be it known that I, JAMES C. CALHOUN, a citizen of the United States, Vresiding at Sassafras, in the county of Kent and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Lantern-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a lantern-holder which may be readily attached to a vehicle in such manner as to most effectively reflect the light in the path of the vehicle ahead of the horses.

In carrying out my inventionY I provide a frame for supporting the lantern so arranged that it may be readily attached to the frame of a vehicletop and may be as readily del tached therefrom and placed under the seat of the vehicle when not in use. The frame is provided with devices for detachably securing it to the lantern and with devices for detachably securing it to the frameA of a vehicle. The devices for attaching the frame to the lantern are adjustable, a's arealso the devices for attaching it to the vehicle, and the lamp or oil-reservoir is so arranged that it maybe turned when not in use for convenience of storage.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a buggy with myimprovements applied. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a lantern and lantern-holder constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the manner of attaching the holder to the top of a vehicle. Fig. 25-is a detail view showing how part of the frame may be folded. Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal section through the reiiector and aside elevation of the lantern, the oil-reservoir being turned into a position at rightv angles to the position it occupies when in use. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing parts of the frame, and particularly the devices for securing the frame to the frame of the vehicle-top. Fig. 5 shows another view of the samedevices. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the lower part of the lantern-holding frame. Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the manner of hinging the lamp to the air-tubes of the lantern. Fig. 8 is a detail View, partly in sectionshowing a modied way of attaching the frame to the lantern.A Figs. 9 and lO are different modifications.

My improved lantern-holder is adapted to f Letters 'Paten No; 636,424, dated Novemter v, 1899.

serai No. 719,674. nro Vmaar) be attached to avehicle-topin such manner as to throwor reflect the light into the road in front of the horses. As indicated in Fig. l, it is attached to thetop frameat an elevation which will throw the light in front of the horses, and thus illumine the path in advance of the vehicle. The oil-reservoir A may be provided with any suitable burner a, and over the chimney B is a cap C, which slides on a tube c, which latter is connected with air-tubes D. VThese air-tubes are jointed or hingedl at d io tubular passages d', which communicate with the burner. Thus heated air is carried through .the tubes c, D, and d. By hinging the oilreservoir t0 the air-tubes in the manner specified the lamp or oil-reservoir may be turned into the position shown in Fig. 3, so that when the lantern is removed and placed under the seat of the vehicle the lamp may be turned4 and disposed vertically, so as not to spill oil. The hinge connection between the tubes D and the tubes d is rather a stiff one, so that when the yreservoir is turned to the position shown in Fig. 3 it'will not oscillate, but will remain in that position, or even if the hinge connection is a loose one the reservoir will not oscillate to such an extent as to spill the oil.

The reiiector or hood E is preferably of the form shown, being of such shape as to inclose the lamp and chimney at the rear and sides, leaving the top, bottom, and front open. It is concave and dares forwardly. This arrangement most effectively reflects and spreads the light to illuminate the path of the vehicle. The reflector is rigidlyconnected with the side tubes D. This may be done by means of solder or other fastening means. The chimney B is carried by a wire frame F, that may be raised and lowered to light and extinguish the lamp. The frame is guided iby wire eyes f, secured to the air-tubes D. The vertical wires of the frame are attached to the cap C, and this cap slides on the vertical central airtube c. The bottom of the hood is preferably open, but provided with a front cross-piece f', provided with a catch f2, adaptedto engage With the bottom flange of the lamp. The lantern may be provided with'avbail G. This may be attached tothe airetubes, as' shown. A spring H, attached to the cap C, bears IOO with the rod I.

against the vert-ical air-tube c and holds the shade-carrying frame in the position to which it is adjusted. The top of the hood is also for the most part open, but is provided with a front cross-piece f3.

The lantern-holder consists of a frame comprising a vertical rod I, to which is hinged at its lower end bottom piece J. This bottom piece is hinged to the rod I at j in the manner indicated in Fig. 6, so that when it is lowered it will be held in a horizontal position, but it may be lifted so as to lie parallel The rod I is provided with a ring j', adapted to engage the bottom piece J and hold it in its folded position, as indicated in Fig. 2% On the outer end of the bottom piece J is an' adjustable catch K. This catch is provided with an engaging finger kand with a set-screw k'. The catch is adapted to slide on the bottom piece J and may be set in the desired position. The finger 7.; engages with the flange or base on the lamp and when engaged may be fixed by means of the set-screw. By loosening the set-screw and moving the clamp to the right, as viewed in Figs. 2 and ll, the finger may be disengaged and the bottom piece may be folded against the rod I. Near its upper end the rod I is provided with a spring-catch L. This catch is made of wire secured to the bar I at I and provided with a loop Z', adapted to engage with the closed top of the vertical tube c. When the springcatch L is thus engaged and the catch K is engaged with the lamp, the lantern will be securely attached to its supporting-frame. Obviously the lantern may be readily detached by properly manipulating the catches L and K. On the top of the rod I is secured ahorizontal arm M. This arm projects a short distance forwardly from the rod I and to a considerable distance rearwardly. At its rear end it is bent at m upwardly to form one member n of a clamp N. The upper end of the member n is provided with a curved jaw n. The other member of the clamp is formed by a jaw n2, having an arm n3. The clamp members are secured together as follows: On the lower end of the lower arm n3 is a stud n4, which extends through a slot 'n.5 in the member u. The stud is provided with an elongated head a6. The arrangement is such that when the arm n3 is arranged horizontally the headed stud may pass through the slot, but when arranged vertically the head prevents the stud from passing backward through the slot. The arm n3 is also slotted at a7, and through this slot extends a set-screw u8. By this arrangement the shorter member of the clamp may be adjusted vertically to accommodate the part of the vehicle-top to which it is secured, and when properly adjusted the jaws may be clamped by means of the setscrewns. The jaws are adapted to be secured to the joint-pin O of the carriage-top, as indicated in Figs. 1, 4, and 5.

The front clamp P consists of anv arm p, attached to the top piece M by means of a bolt p'. By loosening the nut p2 the arm may be turned and set in the desired position and may be securely held in its adjusted position. The arm p is curved inthe manner indicated and-at its upper end is formed with a jaw p3. It is also formed with a ve1ticalslotp,through which extends a stud p5 on the other member p6 of the clalnp. This stud is similar to the stud n4 and like it is provided with a head, the arrangement being such that the member p6 of the clamp lnay be moved vertically, but is prevented from being detached by means of the head on the stud. The member 196 of the clamp carries a set-screw p7, screwing into the arm p. By means of these devices the clamp P may be attached to one of the bowpieces of the carriage-top in the manner indicated particularly in Fig. l. It will be observed that the jaws when attached to the Vehicle-top are arranged at right angles to each other, one of the clamps being secured to a bow-piece, while the other-.clamp is attached to one of the pivot-pins. The clamps may be readily attached and detached when desired.

As an additional means for supporting the lantern I may provide the rod I withapivotfinger Q, as indicated in Fig. 8. This is arranged vertically and is adapted to extend through a socket r on the bracket R, attached to the hood or reflector E, the arrangement being such that the hood may be lowered onto the finger Q and may be readily lifted therefrom. In connection with the supportingiin ger Q, I may use the bottom piece J, before described, or I may dispense with this bottom piece and terminate the rod I just below the finger in the manner indicated at I in Figs. 9 and 10. In this modification the lantern is supported s'olely by the finger r on the rod I, the finger being of considerable length and-its socket being correspondingly formed and fitting the finger closely, so that the 1antern is held firmly. These devices have all been practically tested and work efficiently. Not only is the lantern firmly held in a position to effectively reflect or shed light upon the path of the vehicle, but the devices may be readily attached to the Vehicle or detached therefrom, and when not in use the frame may be detached from the lantern and placed under the seat of the vehicle and the lantern, with its reflector, maybe folded in the manner indicated in Fig. 3 in good shape to be stored under the seat, the lamp being folded, so as to occupy a vertical position to prevent the spilling of oil. The position of the lantern is such that it is impossible for one approaching the vehicle to see the occupants, and highwaymen cannot tell the number of occupants of the Vehicle.

It will be observed that the front clamp is pivoted. By this means the holder may be adjusted for attachment either to a buggytop or to a carriage-top. When attached to a carriage-top, a stud or bracket of suitable shape should be secured to the top of the carriage to receive the front clamp. In such IOO IIO

case the jaws of the front clamp would not be arranged at right angles to those of the back clamp, but would be arranged parallel therewith.

I claim as my inventionv 1. The combination of a lantern and alantern -holder, comprising a vertical rod, a spring-catch carried by the upper end of the rod, and adapted to engage with the top of 1o the lantern, means carried by the upper end of the rod for attaching it to a vehicle-top, and a rod or bottom piece hinged to the lower end of the first-mentioned rod, and provided with means for clamping the lantern to it.

2. The combination of the frame-rod, I, the

bottom piece hinged thereto, a finger, Q, carried by the frame-rod, a lantern provided with a reflector, a bracket carried by the reiiector and having a socket for the finger,

zo and means carried by the frame-rod for attaching it to the top of a vehicle.

3. The combination of a frame-rod, a lantern, means for attaching the frame-rod to the lantern, a rear clamp secured to the framerod adapted to be secured to the top of a vehicle, and another clamp hinged to the framerod, and also adapted to be attached to the vehicle-top.

4. The combination of a lantern, a vertical frame-rod, means for attaching the lantern to the frame-rod, a rear clamp, provided with jaws adapted to be attached to the top of the vehicle, and another clamp provided with jaws arranged at right angles to the firstmentioned jaws, and also adapted to be attached to the top of a vehicle.

5. The combination of a lantern, the vertical frame-rod, means for attaching the lantern to the vertical frame-rod, a clamp attached to the top of the frame-rod, and consisting of two jaws held together by a headed stud, and a set-screw, the set-screw and stud extending through slots in the jaws for vertical adjustment.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name. f

JAMES C. CALHOUN.

Witnesses:

ROYDEN CAULK, R. J. ToWNsEND. 

